2013 Rewind

Are your New Year's Resolutions set? This year I'm setting some healthy resolutions for the whole family that are pretty simple. Move often. Eat (more) veggies. Drink water (and wine, for the adults). I think it's doable and I'm excited for a healthy New Year.

To wrap up 2013, I thought I'd include some links to some of my favorite posts from the past year. Hard to believe this is where we were with the new house at this time last year. What a difference a year makes!

I wrote this post last year on Charlie's birthday. Is he really going to be 5 this year? Our annual trip to California was very memorable for the wrong reasons. We thought we'd never get home!

We endured a few sick days in the winter months, like this one when Iz played on the floor while I taught class...

Spring finally arrived, bringing Easter and Charlie's first soccer game! 

Iz was baptized on her second birthday, on St. Patrick's Day...

By May, our house looked nothing like the old version, yet it was far from finished. And no matter what I did, I just couldn't seem to make time stand still.  

As our move date approached, I realized just how much we packed into our year of living downtown. We made a quick trip to Washington D.C. for a wedding, celebrated my 40th birthday, and celebrated the 4th of July (and Roxie's birthday) in our new home.

 

I spent a lot of time this past year pondering work/life balance and whether there is any way to juggle career and family and keep my sanity. I don't have all the answers, but between t-ball games and learning to swim, our life found a comfortable rhythm in our new home. 

We've just about survived the terrible twos, and I had fun writing about my childhood home and my very talented grandmother. And the kitchen at Modern on Meadow has become my favorite place to be with family. 

Our new cousin Max was all the rage when he arrived in September and he continues to impress as only a super adorable baby can.

When I wasn't traveling down memory lane, I made sure we soaked up everything fall had to offer this year (baking and crafts!) and these were my favorite Halloween costumes yet! 

I faced and finished a new challenge at work, and Ryan made partner at his law firm.

Many friends wrote (here and on Facebook) and reassured me this change is not as bad as I imagine. And the amazing responses I got from this post remind me why words and shared stories can be so important in our lives. Thank you for your words of encouragement and inspiration. 

I end this year feeling incredibly thankful and full of hope and resolve to be a better parent and a better person in the coming year. In December, we had a big birthday bash and then proceeded to limp into the end of the year. But the forced slow down helped me relax and ease out of 2013. I feel rested and ready for new challenges.  

Our biggest accomplishment in 2013 was surviving a year of being displaced and settling into our new home. It was a tough challenge and we learned a lot about ourselves as a family in the process. What we missed most during our year in an apartment was not having family and friends over to share weekend dinners, holidays and birthdays. I look forward to many, many occasions when our home will be full of people we love. 

I can't slow down time and I can't make time stand still. But I can be present in the moment and make every day count. 2013 was a jam-packed year. I did my best to make it all count. 

Whether you are a regular reader or just a sometime visitor, thanks for sharing the past year with me and I wish you all the best in 2014!